Let Go
by HermioneG7
Summary: A girl named Sarah who never amounted or accomplished anything boards the Titanic with her aunt and feels a strange emotion as new things start happening to her and new arms comfort her.
1. Introduction

Let Go:  
  
Introduction:  
  
Her curly brown hair whipped at her face, but she didn't bother to push it as she boarded the boat. She took one look behind her, even though she promised herself she wouldn't.  
  
The world she was leaving meant nothing to her, and she meant nothing to it. Sarah had never accomplished anything in that world, and had never felt like she had done something right. What ahs was doing now didn't seem right, but it didn't seem wrong either. She just wanted to run away, and recreate herself. She could be whoever she wanted to be now.  
  
More people pushed and shoved passed her, but she seemed oblivious to them. She walked as if in a trance, trying to think of who she could be now. She took a deep breath, breathing in the new air, and smiled. She held tightly to her bag with most of her belongings, but her most precious and loved things were in her backpack.  
  
Her light, yet pale, blue eyes stood out in the crowd as she walked, yet they didn't notice someone with brown eyes watching her. It was only for a few moments, for then she suddenly disappeared in the blur of the crowd.  
  
Sarah was not lower class, but she wasn't upper class either. She remained in the middle, just as she had liked it. Her room was homey and comfortable, like her old bedroom used to be. She set down her bigger back, and unloaded her backpack.  
  
It was mostly full of books- books of heroines saving the day, or a book of poems of sadness that, strangely of course, made her feel better during her melancholy days. Her last book was none other than her diary, which was filled with thoughts, feelings, and songs she liked to write. She liked to write small stories of what she'd be like if she was a heroine like in the books she read in her diary as well. Only on special days or horrible days she'd write about how her day went.  
  
She put her diary right next to her bed, which she jumped into and laid there for many moments, just breathing softly. She knew this was going to be a long trip, and it was going to take forever for the boat to start moving- at least, in her imagination it would.  
  
She drew pictures of the boat from all angles in her diary as she lay on her stomach, her feet up in the air, swinging in a bored fashion. She never understood why she felt so in place that way, but she liked the feeling. Everywhere else she felt out of place, and helpless. She felt like a fool. By the end of her drawings she knew this was the place where she belonged, and she wanted to stay as long as possible.  
  
Dear Diary,  
  
I suppose I should write occasionally in this diary about the trip, so when I become old I will still have a source of memory, but I'd like to only write snippets. Only when I feel something is truly important, I will write more. I like to draw the ship with different versions of my newly found self upon them, and I just cannot chose who I want to be. I wish I could have come here all by myself, but my aunt proclaimed she shall come with me. Maybe, if I get lucky, she'll fall of the side.  
  
No, that's a horrible thing to say, even though I don't like her very much.  
  
Sarah  
  
Making up her mind that her first entry was very dull, she closed the book. She seemed to like her writings being slightly dull. It wasn't as if anyone was going to read it anyway. Even if they did find it, however, her penmanship was hard to read.  
  
Sarah's aunt, Michelle, was much different from her niece. She was too free- spirited and happy with herself. She knew everything about her self, and was confident about it. Unlike Sarah, she knew exactly who she was, who she used to be, and who she was going to be. She was very sociable, and in the present, while Sarah was constantly in the past or future. She made her mind up easily, while Sarah changed hers often.  
  
Although Sarah Renklins was so unsure of herself, she never expected to have such an adventure, as the one she was going to have aboard the Titanic.  
  
[Did you like it? Have any suggestions? Please review! Thanks! Chapter one coming soon! Chapters will get longer 2, btw.] 


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One:  
  
(just to let you know, I had a chapter two here but I took it down because I got a new idea and wrote this one. This is the new chapter two. Just telling ya ;))  
  
Sarah was off in her daydreams again, resting against the rail of the ship, staring down at the water they sailed on, when Aunt Michelle came waddling over to her (she's not the thinnest or tallest person around). Sarah sighed, a little angry with her, hearing her annoying laugh. She didn't pay much attention to the multiple laughs surprising her as she turned around to her aunt.  
  
"Honey? Oh darling, you must come socialize with me, it's terrible fun." Said her aunt when she was five steps away from her. "The people here are wonderful! There's even some coot over there who thinks this ship is going to sink and we'll all drown."  
  
She laughed again, and this time Sarah noticed the extra voiced.  
  
"Yeah, that old coot is our father, no doubt." Said one voice, snickering.  
  
"Must have got our paranoid genes from him." Said another one, and more snickering came from them. Sarah could tell they were male voices.  
  
Sarah turned around, not wanted to admit she was curious to see who these two voices were coming from.  
  
There were two handsome boys standing near her aunt with a taller, uglier woman behind them. Aunt Michelle must have been talking with them, because they already looked like friends- well, the ugly woman and Aunt, at least. The boys looked much more interested in Sarah.  
  
The boys were around her age. One was seventeen, the other looked around eighteen- maybe twenty. One had many freckles, while the other had only a few. The boy who was seventeen (and with the many freckles) had light orange, slightly shaggy hair, while the eighteen or twenty year old had darker, more tamed red hair. One was exactly the same height as Sarah, and their eye level was the same as they looked at each other's eyes. She quickly looked away from his and at her aunt.  
  
"Libby's sons need someone to "play" with." She laughed as she said play. "I mentioned I had a daughter around the same age, and she was delighted. They're rather bored on the ship." Sarah nodded, because she knew where this was going.  
  
The boys tried to look innocent, and the girl could not help thinking it was cute. They had the mischievous look in their eye, and she knew she was going to have a hard time with them. Half of her wanted to go back to her daydreaming, but the other half was longing to go with the two boys. Maybe some new friends would help her.  
  
"Pleased to meet you. I'm John." Said the youngest of the two, bowing down to her. She started to blush, but she quickly hid her face behind her hands so they wouldn't see.  
  
"As with me. I'm Cory." said the older one, who also bowed. They were clearly not going to act this polite when their mother and aunt left. She could see it in their eyes. She could also see them sniggering when the adults weren't looking.  
  
"Hello. I'm Sarah." She managed to say to the two, with a smile too. She brushed her hair behind her ears, wondering what to do next.  
  
"It's so nice for the boys to meet a female around here." Said John and Cory's mother. "Maybe you can keep them out of trouble." She glared at her sons, who stopped sniggering.  
  
"I'll see you at dinner!" said Aunt Michelle, and the two adults left, in deep discussion of the Titanic.  
  
Sarah was suddenly horrified as they left. Many people were still up deck as they were, but they were all on the other side, or at the bow. She felt uncomfortable being with the two boys by herself. She also felt uncomfortable at the fact that she was being so shy.  
  
"You're aunt's nice." Cory said to Sarah, but he was still sniggering.  
  
John was making Sarah even tenser as he stood back, examining her. He made an expression of deep thought, but with a small smirk. Sarah could feel herself shaking at how nervous she was- or maybe it was because of the cold morning wind. She wasn't sure. Finally, John started to snigger again and he muttered someone to Cory behind him.  
  
"Looks like she's going to be an easy one." Then they both started to snigger.  
  
Sarah stared at them in fury as they laughed at her. "What is that supposed to mean?" she piped up.  
  
"She speaks! I thought you were going to be quiet and shy this entire time." Said John.  
  
"And what makes you so sure?" Sarah said, now starting to feel a different emotion.  
  
"Well, the way you were blushing at my brother kind of gave it away." Said Cory, and they both started to laugh again. Sarah started to blush again, but she wished she didn't.  
  
"There she goes again!" said John, leaning over the railing as he laughed. Sarah started to believe this was going to be a bad trip after all. She shoved her diary in her pocket (which she had been reading before her aunt brought the two boys), and tried to face them with the dignity her heroines in her books had.  
  
*  
  
By dinner time the three of them had gotten to know each other pretty well. Sarah learned John was much worse than his older brother, for Cory just said mean things, while John actually did mean things. He stole Sarah's book out of her pocket and was looking through it, running away from her as she tried to get it back. She felt ridicules for running around the ship like children, but another part of her couldn't help it. She liked to watch him run around, sneering and jeering at her.  
  
"He is very childish, isn't he?" said Cory.  
  
"I heard that!" said John as he gently tossed Sarah her book back.  
  
"Come on, it's time for dinner!" he said to her, then he headed down the stars, Cory followed him.  
  
Sarah remained on deck, clutching her book to her chest for a few moments. Looking up at the stars, she kept repeating the look on John's face when he tossed her book back to her in her head. It didn't look mischievous, as it had all day as he toyed around with her. He seemed like a different person when he told her to follow him to dinner as well. She blushed at the thought of him, and decided that, overall, it wasn't such a bad day after all.  
  
"Hey, are you eating or not?" she heard John call to her from the stairs door. He grinned at her, then disappeared. 


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter Two:  
  
Sarah and her aunt were invited to sit with John and his family, and it was quite enjoyable. Second Class got all they needed, but not as much as First Class. Sarah started to hope that, since her aunt was friends with someone in First Class, they'd let them into the Dining and Dancing at night, which only First Class passengers were allowed in.  
  
Sarah ate quietly while the rest chatted wildly. John told many things about his day (mostly lies, but Sarah bit her lip and resisted telling the truth), while using hand motions. His stories were so exciting that Sarah got lost inside them, just like when she read her books. After a while she never realized she had crossed her arms on the table, dropped her fork, and was staring at John as he talked for the rest of the evening. The look in her eyes was excited and curious. John winked at her often as he told his lies. Michelle and John's mother clapped and gasped as they believed him.  
  
"So, did you enjoy being a First Class passenger for a night?" said John loudly as everyone started to leave.  
  
"Yes, I actually did. That's one good reason my aunt met you." Sarah said, thought she didn't mean it. Cory laughed at John as he made a small frown.  
  
"Ah, no worries. I know something she'll really like." John smirked as he slowly passed her seat. Sarah sat, trying tremendously not to say anything.  
  
"She'll surly love this part of being a First Classman. Too bad they probably won't let her-"  
  
"You mean you can get them to let us in the dances?" Sarah let it slip out just before she could cover her mouth. John and Cory bent over laughing, and she glared at them furiously again.  
  
"Not a chance! They'd never let you in!" John said, still laughing.  
  
"What is that supposed to mean?" Sarah said jumping up from her seat in misery.  
  
"Oh, nothing." John said, winking at her, then they both left, leaving her standing in dismay.  
  
"Stupid jerk!" Sarah yelled as she got into her room. She made sure she was by herself, then she fell onto the bed. "Stupid First Class jerk! He doesn't care about me! He'd never dance with me!" she gasped, realizing what she had just said. "No no no no no! I don't want to dance with him!" she corrected herself. "Who would?"  
  
She said, then after a few moments she picked up her diary.  
  
Dear Diary,  
  
Today I met two First Class boys, one around my age. His name is John. He makes me very confused, and here are the reasons why:  
  
1. Sometimes he seems so nice when you first meet him, and funny too, but then you feel backstabbed once you've been with him for more than ten minutes. 2. He teases me so much, yet, at times, he stops and seems like the sweetest guy in the world. 3. If he takes something from you, he does give it back to you. At least he doesn't steal. 4. He lies to his mother a lot, yet, when he tells lies, he seems so irresistible. 5. Sometimes when i look at him I get a strange feeling inside. I want to hate him, and push him over board, but at the same time I want to dance with him.  
  
Too bad they don't let Second Class passengers into the Dances.  
  
Sarah  
  
She snapped her book shut with a sigh, and went to bed, thinking of John without even realizing it.  
  
"John, are you being nice to Michelle's daughter?" said his mother as she stopped him in the hall. He smiled innocently, and stood up straight. He had been trying to sneak into the room without his mother seeing him.  
  
"Of course I am." he said.  
  
"She is a nice girl. Beautiful too." said his mother.  
  
"Yes, I suppose so."  
  
"Is she being nice to you?"  
  
"The worst." John remained looking serious. "No, I'm just kidding." he said when his mother's face turned into surprise.  
  
"Well good. I expect all three of you to get along with each other, just like Michelle and me. No, off to bed."  
  
John quickly ran into the other room, trying to shut the door, but he wasn't fast enough to close out the, "And no pushing her overboard!"  
  
John just chuckled and climbed into his bed. Not that he would reall push her overboard. It was just a small prank he had in mind to do to someone, but he decided to discard it, for he had different plans. 


	4. Chapter Three

Chapter Three:  
  
Sarah tried to ignore John as much as possible the next day, but his mischievous smile, his playful laugh, and his wonderful voice drew her in. He had caught up with her when she was going to lunch, and they engaged in a wonderful conversation, which surprised her.  
  
Cory was off with another young lady he had met in First Class, so they sat near the railing, and discussed many things, and it went on much smoother than the night before. They both got caught in each others words as they told of their lives before they met on the ship. Sarah admitted to herself that she liked the way John seemed so interested in her boring life. Who would want to here of a pathetic girl that relied on books and thoughts to keep her from feeling completely helpless in the world? Why would he want to be with someone who never had been noticed by anyone in her old town, or congratulated, or celebrated for something wonderful she had done? All these things were the feelings Sarah wanted so longingly, but she never got them. She tried so hard to do something right, but nothing seemed to be good enough. Now, a couple of days ago, before she boarded the ship, she couldn't take it any longer, and she ran away.  
  
She was missing for hours until her aunt finally found her. Sarah didn't tell her aunt any of the trouble, and said she just wanted to go on vacation. That's when she insisted she should come along with her. Frustrated again, for not being able to go on by herself, Sarah plunged into dismay.  
  
The dismay rested inside of her still, as she continued to do something right on the ship. She continued reading about her heroines at night, and drawing what she saw in her mind. Her creative process in writing was going well also, and so much of her dismay seemed to be relieved as her pen hit the paper.  
  
This never lasted long, however, because she still felt hopeless and helpless at the same time. She wanted to do so much, and she did do so much, yet nothing was proven.  
  
Sarah blushed as she told John all this, and she tried to leave out details, but they just kept slipping out. This was only the beginning. Sarah thought to herself.  
  
John had a great life before he came on the Titanic. He was first class, and lived in a first class neighborhood. Everyone was rich and fabulous. He told stories about meeting with the neighbors, and meeting the girls. When he recalled stories of him dancing with some of the finest dressed girls in the world, Sarah looked down at herself, dismayed once again.  
  
Of course, she wasn't sure if John was lying or not. He was fantastic at it, and she had not grown to fully trust John yet. She looked up in his eyes as he talked, and she couldn't help but to believe him.  
  
It was already getting dark as their mouths finally closed on the stories. Sarah looked around as the First Class headed down to the fine dining and dancing, and smiled.  
  
"Our talk went by so quickly!" she said.  
  
"And not one single fight interrupted it." Observed John. The two young ones looked at each other for short moments with grins, then Sarah quickly looked away, blushing again.  
  
"It was nice, having time to just sit and talk with you." Said John, and Sarah had to struggle to not leap about in her joy. "It's worth not fighting with you for a whole day!" he laughed, watching her again, as night overcame them. Sarah was about to ask him what he meant by that, but she kept her mouth shut. John stood up, brushed himself off, then he stuck out his hand to help Sarah up. Surprised, she took his hand.  
  
"I'd rather you not tell anyone about this, however." He said, watching the other First Classmen. "Would you like to have more of these secret meetings?"  
  
"Oh yes!" Sarah burst out, but she thought it foolish of her doing so. She didn't want to seem so excited.  
  
"Well then, best be off to find Cory and what's-her-name." John winked at her, then he slowly walked into the crowd of First Class.  
  
"Goodnight John." Sarah whispered, knowing John would be back as his old self the next morning. "And I promise I won't tell anyone about our meetings- no one except my diary."  
  
For the rest of the night, the young lady seemed to see the world in a whole new light. She certainly saw John in a whole new light, and she was excited to see him in the morning, even if they would start bickering again.  
  
"Well, I haven't seen you that much today!" said Aunt Michelle when Sarah got back to her room.  
  
Of course you don't, you're always with Libby. Sarah thought, but she didn't say it aloud. She often never shared her thoughts or feelings with anyone else. She hid them from everything except her diary's pages, and it felt so good to finally get them out to someone, even if it was someone like John, who could tell nearly the whole population of the Titanic and they'd all laugh at her at breakfast.  
  
She wondered if she should let John read her diary at their next meeting. There wasn't much that told exactly how she felt, or how her days went before the Titanic, but the songs, stories, and pictures explained a lot. She put it into consideration just before she slipped off to sleep.  
  
In the middle of the night, Sarah woke with a start to find the boat rocking back and forth more furiously than the other nights. It wasn't too bad, but it was enough to make Sarah feel slightly sick. She never thought of herself being seasick, so she tried to remember her dream, thinking maybe that was what made her sick. Hard as she tried, she couldn't remember a single thing.  
  
She took out a flashlight and a book to calm herself down and make her feel better. It was a wonderful adventurous, yet romantic story she had, and slowly made her slip into a dream of herself taking place of the female character, and John taking place of the male character. The passenger still didn't remember much of the dream when she woke up that bright morning, but she had a horrible longing that she used to have back in the days of her hometown. 


	5. Chapter Four

Chapter Four:  
  
That day Sarah did not see much of John anyway, because her aunt suddenly surprised her. Sarah never dreamed something like this would ever happen between them, but it made her feel good- and suspicious. The events made Sarah wonder if John had told her aunt anything of what they discussed the other night.  
  
"Dear? May I come in?" Michelle said that morning, when Sarah was brushing her teeth.  
  
"Yes!" the niece said, making a disgusted face at herself in the mirror, but had interest in her voice.  
  
The door creaked open, and that's where it all began.  
  
"Hi!" her aunt said in her usually high, sweet voice. "You look beautiful today!"  
  
"No I don't." Sarah said, putting her brush down on the counter and looking at her curly brown hair and her white face and pale eyes with a disappointed face. "All those First Class ladies in their expensive gowns and pretty jewelry are beautiful."  
  
"Oh, don't say such words! You're just as pretty as they are. You're finely dressed in my opinion, too."  
  
"You're just saying that!" Sarah complained.  
  
"Have I ever lied to you?" she had no answer to that. Aunt Michelle was the most honest person in the world.  
  
"Well, I'm not beautiful enough, apparently!" she pushed out of the bathroom door and fell onto her bed, flat on her back, sighing.  
  
Her aunt came out of the bathroom, grinning mischievously, but not quite as John did.  
  
"What?" Sarah sat up again, glaring at her aunt. "Don't look at me like that!" she pulled her legs up to her chest and hugged her arms around them.  
  
Instead of demanding to know what was going on with her, as Sarah expected, Aunt Michelle sat down next to her niece and started to separate the soft and fine hair of her nieces into three sections as she talked.  
  
"Well, I was thinking you and me should spend some time together, while we're on this journey." Sarah felt herself make a confused face, but she didn't say anything. "The truth is, I just don't know that much about you."  
  
"Well, there is not much of me to know about." Sarah said, dismayed. The only thing anyone would ever need to know about her was disappointed haunted all her dreams.  
  
"Don't talk that way! I'm sure that you're just hiding yourself from me under there." Her aunt talked with such pride and beauty in her voice, that it made Sarah even more upset. She whirled around to face the older woman on her bed, her eyes full of sorrow just as her aunt finished braiding her long hair. "I'm nothing, aunt Michelle! Nothing about me is worth hearing! When I get old and die, no one is going to remember me! I will go through life without touching anyone's hearts, or doing something heroic! I won't even know who I am when I die!" the longing feeling she had woken up with shelled in her chest as she left out all the detailed she was still hiding from her aunt. Her aunt looked at her distraught little girl, and new she needed time.  
  
"Don't worry about that, honey! You've got your whole life ahead of you! It's full of adventures! Come on! We have a whole day ahead of us, where we're just going to relax and forget everything that's worrying us. We ARE on vacation, after all."  
  
"I don't know." Sarah wailed, but her aunt wouldn't take it. Before she could say, "Let me go!" they were already out the door.  
  
"So, where's Sarah? I haven't seen her all day." Said John as he flopped onto the couch in their First Class room. Cory was sitting at his desk, his glasses on, deeply into writing something in a book, and did not hear the question at first.  
  
"I believe she was with her aunt since after breakfast." He said.  
  
"Really? But I thought she- Well, nevermind." John sat in silence, wondering what to do. He hadn't been looking for Sarah that whole day, but he was interested in at least talking to her for a little while. He didn't like Sarah enough yet to do any of that. Though he loved to tease her, but as well listen to her tell him about herself, he didn't quite realize these feelings he had for her just yet. What he HAD been doing that day was talking and laughing with the other First Class girls down near where the dances were held. That room, which he had been in after he talked to Sarah, was where he danced the night away like he used to do back home. When he talked about these girls, Sarah noticed a great joy in talking about them, and it now made her more distressed than she usually was. Even though she hadn't quite realized her feelings for him yet either, she seemed to notice them much more than John did.  
  
It was only three days they had known each other on the Titanic, but they both tried not to admit it felt like they had known each other for much longer. Each day they started to bicker even more, but they seemed to get a long just as much.  
  
The sun started to set, and night overcame them as Sarah took a loud sip of her drink.  
  
"I'll have to admit, today was pretty fun!" Sarah said, smiling at her aunt.  
  
"See, I told you an aunt and a niece could have fun! Getting lost had to be my favorite part of the day." Sarah laughed at her aunt's joke. It was true, that just after lunch they continued searching around in parts of the ship they still haven't seen, and they ended up getting lost. It wasn't frightful at all, in the two women's opinion. They finally found their way back when they bumped into Cory, who was with his father.  
  
"Just go down the stairs to your right down that hallway and you'll find a familiar path." Cory was saying as his father was still asking Emergency questions to several workers on board.  
  
"This boat is very beautiful, isn't it?" Michelle said, lost in thought as she stared at the ocean. Sarah nodded her head in agreement.  
  
"Do you think it really is unsinkable?" she wondered aloud. "It seems that a few people are afraid it will sink."  
  
"I'm sure we'll all still be safe if it did sink, dear." Michelle answered her. Sarah was rather startled, because she hadn't realized she was thinking aloud.  
  
The seventeen year old still hadn't been able to open up to her aunt as she had been able to do with John, but she did feel happier towards her. She had always disliked her aunt, because it always seemed like she overlooked her.  
  
Loud footsteps, shouts, and laughter rose behind them as First Class passengers went back to their rooms instead of to the fine dining and dancing, which was not occurring that evening. Sarah sighed, then turned to leave. "I guess I'll go back to my room now. I'm quite tired after today."  
  
They both said good night to one another, but the young one was the only one to follow the crowd to her own room. 


	6. Chapter Five

Chapter Five:  
  
"Oh, why wasn't I born in first class?" Sarah wailed pathetically as she sat on the stairs outside the Fine Dining and Dancing. First Class was filling the place by the minute, while she was stuck outside, watching.  
  
She WAS admiring the gowns, the suits, the food, the silverware, the decorations, all those wonderful things, but she was also looking for John- just out of curiosity. She was interested in whom he danced with, but she didn't consider her jealous. She was jealous, because she wanted to be dancing and eating in there, with all the other joyful faces, but she was stuck eating with her aunt.  
  
Since the two were getting along better, it wasn't that bad. Sarah still felt guilty that she was keeping so much from her aunt, but she wasn't ready to tell her anything yet. She kept most of her secrets to herself and her diary, and hoped every second of the day that John would keep them to himself too.  
  
Dear Diary,  
  
I'm still sitting outside the door of the Fine Dining and Dancing. It looks so fantastic, and I'm starting to feel very strange things as I watch everyone else. I think I'm losing myself as the music makes me get lost in thought. I can barely look in there anymore without getting this feeling. It scares me when I don't feel it, but when it starts to take over, I... well, it's hard to say. I think I like it.  
  
I feel like an invisible hand is gripping at my soul, trying to pull it out, only, there's barely a soul in there. True, I do feel many feelings in my soul, but I do not have much character in my soul to show out to people. Everyone else has some sort of dream inside themselves. I can see it in their eyes. I can see it in John's eyes as he dances with all the beautiful first class girls. I cry when I get this feels on the stairs, and it brings questions to my mind.  
  
If I feel this way without a defiant personality and character, then what does it feel like to people with the opposite? What do people who have everything they want inside them? I know I am someone, but that someone is hard for me to find.  
  
I hope John never finds out about this. I think I'm going mad.  
  
Sarah  
  
The girl stared up at the dancers again, water getting ready to pour from her eyes. She watched the girls her age, wondering if they had this same problem. She had never had anyone to talk to or to help her with these problems, so she had no idea if this was just a phase or not. She felt so empty and alone, and it scared her. Everyone she saw looked full, merry, pure, and carefree. That must be how you feel when you know everything in the world, thought Sarah.  
  
"My my, John, what a swell dancer you are." Madeline, a very pretty first class young lady said as she giggled. John had her hand in his, his other hand around her waist. They twirled and swirled around the room, bending a few times as well. Everything was perfect in their world as another girl's world was tumbling at her feet just outside their door.  
  
"You're not so bad yourself, my lady." John said politely. John was quite different around sophisticated ladies as Madeline. He was still mischievous, but in a very different way.  
  
Madeline giggled again, and smiled. Her dark, extremely curly, hair looked much shorter than it really was and bounced around her head. Her elegant gown hid her feet as it fell to the floor. Her hands were glowing from all her jewels on golden rings, and bracelets that clanged on her wrist. Her big blue eyes stared in John's as they smiled at each other.  
  
The two came closer together, so they could feel each other's breathing, and instantly started to touch. Madeline started to touch John's face, and he touched her hair. He pulled a strand down, then let it go so it bounced up and down continuously. Madeline moved his face closer, and they kissed.  
  
If you asked any of the girls who John danced with, most of them got a kiss, but always at the end of the dance. Many of them envied and grew jealous of Madeline, but none were more jealous than Sarah.  
  
"Oh, the poor girl! Everyone should know John doesn't really love them. He has a heart too cold for real love." She said to herself darkly as she watched John and Madeline's liplock. She could see it from outside the door, but she wished she hadn't. She bowed her head as she stared at the two of them coldly, feeling her face grow hot and she knew her face must have looked as red as a tomato. "She needs to learn a few things about romance, that's for sure." She finished off haughtily.  
  
The two continued their dance, smiling and blushing at each other. Madeline did most of the blushing, while continually fanning herself and giggling as she watched her partner. Late into the night they danced, locked in each other's gaze.  
  
"Sarah? Sarah? What are you doing out here?" Sarah jerked awake, still in a bad mood, and started to snap at whoever woke her up.  
  
"Oh sorry, Cory. I didn't know it was you." She said groggily as she stretched. Her back ached from sleeping on the stairs.  
  
"Why are you still out here?" Cory repeated. When Sarah's eyes focused, she could see a few of the First Class ladies and gentlemen going to their rooms behind him. She made sure her diary was in her pocket, and then she stood up, brushing herself off. She shivered as the night's wind found her way over to her.  
  
"I fell asleep while I watched the dances." She said, embarrassed to say so.  
  
"The dances went on later than usual, that must have been why." Cory said, as they stood together. "Why do you have to sit out here all the time?"  
  
She shrugged, trying to hide her embarrassment. "I like the dances. Don't you remember that night John pretended to say he could get me in there?" she stopped speaking instantly, and started to blush a deeper red at John's name.  
  
"Oh. Yeah. I remember that." Cory said, looking uneasy. Sarah learned that Cory was actually a very kind person on his own, but he still had a mischievous side to him. She smiled as he looked embarrassed too.  
  
"Well, I guess I should get back downstairs before my aunt goes on a frantic search for me." Sarah laughed for the first time in hours, but it was a strained laugh, and Cory noticed this.  
  
"You REALLY want to get into those dances don't you?" he said curiously. Sarah quickly nodded, failing to look less interested than she really was. "And you REALLY want to dance with my brother, don't you?" Cory grinned in his kidding way as Sarah blushed again.  
  
"Oh, stop glaring at me like that." Cory said, still grinning.  
  
"I thought you'd be used to it by now!" she snapped, heading down to Second Class.  
  
"Look, I'm sorry. I was only joking. I'm sorry I can't help you get in the Fine Dining and Dances, but you're going to have to live with it. It's just how life goes on."  
  
"Gee, thanks. I feel SO much better!" Sarah said sarcastically, and she turned sharply, storming down the stairs. 


End file.
